Mitchell Plitnick has an argument here about why Syria should stay out of Palestinian protests. It’s an interesting case though I am happy to see the larger issue of the Palestinian refugee diaspora raised, I agree that Syria is a deeply flawed messenger, given its current brutal crackdown on its own demonstrators.

The New York Times coverage of the “Naksa” (a word I am embarrassed to admit I just learned this year” seems to support Plitnick’s point, as it claims that “only Syrians” protested after Lebanon cracked down on protests at its border. This ignores the protests accross Palestinian land, the list I received included Gaza, Qalandia (video below) , and a Lebanese refugee camp, but CNN did not mention them. The Winnipeg Free Press’s Israel correspondent called it “Syria confronts Israel alone.” This certainly makes it sound like Syria’s actions are overshadowing the daily

JESSE BACON (Philadelphia) is a freelance activist and father. He has a Masters in teaching from Roosevelt University in Chicago. He is an observant progressive Jew, and is trying to be a good ally for Palestinians and all dispossessed peoples, while staying true to the best traditions in Judaism. He visited Israel and Palestine in 1996, 2001, and 2002. He served for three years on the local steering committee of Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, and one year on the board of Pursue the Peace in Seattle.
Read his posts here.